US Conducts Airstrikes Against ISIS in Syria as Militants Attempt Comeback
Bipartisan Buy-In Could Help New Defense Industrial Base Plan Survive Election
Space Force Wants Your Help Naming All Its Satellites
Radar Sweep
North Korea Likely to Ask for Nuclear Technology from Russia in Exchange for Troops, South Korea Says
North Korea is “very likely to ask” Moscow for advanced technology related to nuclear weapons in exchange for deploying troops to help Russia in its war against Ukraine, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun said at the Pentagon on Oct. 30.
UK Pledges Additional $3.8 Billion on Defense Spending, Stops Short of 2.5 Percent GDP Timeline
The United Kingdom announced it intends to increase its defense spending by £2.9 billion ($3.8 billion) next year, according to a newly released budget. Rachel Reeves, the UK Chancellor, shared the uplift with lawmakers in a parliamentary speech, though she said that a Labour Party election manifesto commitment of reaching 2.5 percent GDP on defense spending will be met at a “future fiscal event.”
Air Force’s New Cloud-Based Cyber Defense System to Protect ‘Soft Underbelly’ of Cyber Ops Networks
When it comes online, the Air Force expects a new, more robust cloud-based system for cyber operations to allow Airmen to better understand their network ecosystem and spot weak spots before adversaries do, Gen. Thomas Hensley, commander of the 16th Air Force said Oct. 29.
Leaders Wrestle with a Potent Mix: AI and Weapons of Mass Destruction
Emerging technologies have radically reshaped the arms control landscape and pose a set of major challenges, though also some opportunities in curbing the spread of weapons of mass destruction, said representatives of five major UN-adjacent disarmament agencies.
US, South Korea Move to Enhance Their Militaries’ Technology Partnerships
Top U.S. defense officials met with their closest South Korean counterparts on Oct. 30 at the Pentagon, where they pledged to deepen their militaries’ joint technology pursuits in new ways and discussed options for countering North Korea’s recent deployment of thousands of soldiers to support Russia.
Who Tells Satellites Where to Take Pictures? Increasingly, It’ll Be Robots, Maxar Says
Maxar’s chief product officer Peter Wilczynski, who joined the company over the summer, is spearheading an effort to build navigation systems that use 3D maps instead of GPS. But the Palantir alum is also working to develop systems to better manage the ever-growing queues for his company’s orbital-imagery services.
Lockheed Martin Completes Acquisition of Smallsat Manufacturer Terran Orbital
Lockheed Martin Corp announced Oct. 30 it has completed the acquisition of small satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital. The approximately $450 million acquisition deal deepens Lockheed Martin’s foothold in the commercial satellite sector and culminates a partnership that began in 2017.
How to Wield Better Data in Defense
Whether it’s perfecting supply chain logistics, sorting out the intricacies of a complex wargame, or planning key operational moves in a campaign, data holds the key to better decisions for the U.S. Air Force. Learn more about how industry and the military are better using data to improve outcomes.
DOD Program Makes It Easier to Enlist with ADHD, Asthma, Other Medical Conditions
More than 5,600 people with previously disqualifying medical conditions have been allowed to enlist in the military without having to get a waiver under a pilot program, a defense official said.
Prosecutors Seek a 17-Year Prison Term for Pentagon Secrets Leaker Jack Teixeira
Prosecutors plan to argue that a Massachusetts Air National Guard member who pleaded guilty to leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine should serve nearly 17 years in prison. In a sentencing memorandum filed Oct. 29, prosecutors said Jack Teixeira “perpetrated one of the most significant and consequential violations of the Espionage Act in American history.”
Time Running Out for Military Members to Cast Their Absentee Ballots
With less than a week before the Nov. 5 election, service members and their family members who are voting by absentee ballot should cast their ballot now. That includes those living overseas who can use a free expedited mail service.